Fabius m Ancient RomanRoman family name that was derived from Latin
faba meaning
"bean". Quintus Fabius Maximus was the Roman general who used delaying tactics to halt the invasion of
Hannibal in the 3rd century BC.
Fallon f English (Modern)From an Irish surname that was an Anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic
Ó Fallamháin, itself derived from the given name
Fallamhán meaning "leader". It was popularized in the 1980s by a character on the soap opera
Dynasty.
Faolán m Irish (Rare)Means
"little wolf", derived from Old Irish
fáel "wolf" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of an Irish saint who did missionary work in Scotland.
Fatjon m AlbanianDerived from Albanian
fat "luck, fate, destiny" and
jonë "our".
Faunus m Roman MythologyPossibly means
"to befriend" from Latin. Faunus was a Roman god of fertility, forests, and agriculture.
Faustin m FrenchFrench form of
Faustinus (see
Faustino). It is currently more common in French-speaking Africa and the French Caribbean than it is in France. A famous bearer was Faustin Soulouque (1782-1867), a president and then emperor of Haiti.
Faustus m Ancient RomanRoman cognomen meaning
"auspicious, lucky" in Latin. It was also occasionally used as a praenomen, or given name. This was the name of several early Christian saints.
Fawn f EnglishFrom the English word
fawn for a young deer.
Féchín m Old IrishMeans
"little raven" from Old Irish
fiach "raven" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of an Irish saint of the 7th century, the founder of the monastery at Fore. He died of the yellow plague.
Felicitas f Late Roman, Roman Mythology, German, SpanishLatin name meaning
"good luck, fortune". In Roman mythology the goddess Felicitas was the personification of good luck. It was borne by a 3rd-century saint, a slave martyred with her master Perpetua in Carthage.
Felicius m Late RomanMasculine form of
Felicia. This was the name of a 4th-century saint, a companion of Saint Castor of Karden.
Felinus m Late RomanLate Latin name meaning
"cat-like". This was the name of a possibly legendary saint who was martyred with Gratian in the 3rd century.
Fen 1 f & m ChineseFrom Chinese
芬 (fēn) meaning "fragrance, aroma, perfume" (which is usually only feminine) or
奋 (fèn) meaning "strive, exert" (usually only masculine). Other Chinese characters are also possible.
Fen 2 m FrisianOriginally a Frisian short form of
Ferdinand (and other names starting with the Old German element
fridu "peace" and a second element beginning with
n).
Fenton m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally taken from a place name meaning
"marsh town" in Old English.
Fereydoun m Persian, Persian MythologyModern Persian form of Old Iranian *
Thraitauna meaning
"the third". In the 10th-century Persian epic the
Shahnameh this is the name of a virtuous king who ruled for 500 years. The Avestan form of the name
𐬚𐬭𐬀𐬉𐬙𐬀𐬊𐬥𐬀 (Thraētaona) appears in the earlier texts of the
Avesta.
Fergus m Irish, Scottish, Irish Mythology, Old IrishMeans
"man of vigour", derived from the Old Irish elements
fer "man" and
guss "vigour, strength, force". This was the name of several early rulers of Ireland and Dál Riata, as well as many characters from Irish legend. Notably it was borne by the hero Fergus mac Róich, who was tricked into giving up the kingship of Ulster to
Conchobar. However, he remained loyal to the new king until Conchobar betrayed
Deirdre and
Naoise, at which point he defected to Connacht in anger. The name was also borne by an 8th-century saint, a missionary to Scotland.
... [more] Fermin m BasqueBasque form of
Firminus (see
Firmin). This is the name of the patron saint of the city of Pamplona in Navarre, Spain.
Fern f EnglishFrom the English word for the plant, ultimately from Old English
fearn. It has been used as a given name since the late 19th century.
Ffion f WelshMeans
"foxglove" in Welsh (species Digitalis purpurea). This is a recently created Welsh name.
Finnegan m English (Modern)From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of
Ó Fionnagáin, itself derived from the given name
Fionnagán, a diminutive of
Fionn. This is the surname of a relatively minor character in James Joyce's novel
Finnegans Wake (1939), the title of which was based on a 19th-century Irish ballad called
Finnegan's Wake.
Finnian m IrishDerived from Old Irish
finn "white, blessed". This was the name of several Irish saints, including the founders of monasteries at Clonard and Movilla (both 6th century).
Fintan m Irish, Irish Mythology, Old IrishPossibly means either
"white fire" or
"white ancient" in Irish. According to legend this was the name of the only Irish person to survive the great flood. This name was also borne by many Irish saints.
Fionn m Irish, Irish MythologyFrom the Old Irish name
Finn, derived from
finn meaning
"white, blessed". It occurs frequently in Irish history and legends, the most noteworthy bearer being Fionn mac Cumhaill, the central character of one of the four main cycles of Irish mythology, the Fenian Cycle. Fionn was born as
Deimne, and acquired his nickname because of his fair hair. He grew all-wise by eating an enchanted salmon, and later became the leader of the Fianna after defeating the fire-breathing demon Áillen. He was the father of
Oisín and grandfather of
Oscar.
Firmin m French, Medieval EnglishFrom the Late Latin name
Firminus meaning
"firm". This was the name of several early saints, notably the 3rd-century bishop Saint Firmin (or Fermin) of Amiens who is especially venerated in Navarre, Spain.
Flaminius m Ancient RomanRoman family name meaning
"priestly", derived from Latin
flamen, a type of priest. A notable bearer of the family name was the 3rd-century consul Gaius Flaminius. He was killed in battle against Hannibal's forces during the Second Punic War.
Flanagan m English (Rare)From an Irish surname, the Anglicized form of
Ó Flannagáin, itself from the given name
Flannagán, which was derived from Irish
flann "blood red" and a diminutive suffix.
Flann m & f Irish, Old IrishMeans
"blood red" in Irish. This was the name of a 9th-century high king of Ireland.
Flavian m History (Ecclesiastical)From the Roman family name
Flavianus, which was derived from
Flavius. This was the name of several early saints including a 5th-century patriarch of Constantinople who was beaten to death.
Flavius m Ancient Roman, RomanianRoman family name meaning
"golden" or
"yellow-haired" from Latin
flavus "yellow, golden". Flavius was the family name of the 1st-century Roman emperors Vespasian, Titus and Domitian. It was used as a personal name by several later emperors, notably by
Constantine.
Florian m German, French, Romanian, Polish, HistoryFrom the Roman cognomen
Florianus, a derivative of
Florus. This was the name of a short-lived Roman emperor of the 3rd century, Marcus Annius Florianus. It was also borne by Saint Florian, a martyr of the 3rd century, the patron saint of Poland and Upper Austria.
Florus m Ancient RomanRoman cognomen that was derived from Latin
flos meaning
"flower" (genitive case
floris). It was borne by a 2nd-century saint who was martyred with Laurus in Illyricum.
Flynn m EnglishFrom an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of
Ó Floinn, which was derived from the given name or byname
Flann. A famous bearer of the surname was American actor Errol Flynn (1909-1959). As a given name, it grew in popularity after it was featured as a character in the Disney movie
Tangled in 2010.
Forbes m ScottishFrom a Scottish surname that was originally taken from the name of a village in Aberdeenshire, which means
"field, area of land" in Gaelic.
Frances f EnglishFeminine form of
Francis. The distinction between
Francis as a masculine name and
Frances as a feminine name did not arise until the 17th century. A notable bearer was Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini (1850-1917), a social worker and the first American to be canonized.
Francis m & f English, FrenchEnglish form of the Late Latin name
Franciscus meaning
"Frenchman", ultimately from the Germanic tribe of the Franks, who were named for a type of spear that they used (Proto-Germanic *
frankô). This name was borne by the 13th-century Saint Francis of Assisi, who was originally named Giovanni but was given the nickname Francesco by his father, an admirer of the French. Francis went on to renounce his father's wealth and devote his life to the poor, founding the Franciscan order of friars. Later in his life he apparently received the stigmata.
... [more] François m FrenchFrench form of
Franciscus (see
Francis). François Villon (1431-1463) was a French lyric poet. This was also the name of two kings of France.
Frankenstein m Popular CultureFrom the surname
Frankenstein, used by Mary Shelley in her 1818 novel of the same name for the scientist Victor Frankenstein. The monster that Frankenstein created, which has no name in the novel, is sometimes called Frankenstein in modern speech, as if it were his given name.
Franklin m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from Middle English
frankelin "freeman". A famous bearer of the surname was Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), an American statesman, inventor, scientist and philosopher. The name has commonly been given in his honour in the United States. It also received a boost during the term of American president Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945).
Freeman m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"free man". It originally denoted a person who was not a serf.
Fridolin m German, GermanicOriginally a diminutive of names containing the Old German element
fridu meaning
"peace". Saint Fridolin of Säckingen was a semi-legendary 6th-century missionary to southern Germany from Ireland.
Fructuosus m Late RomanDerived from Latin
fructuosus meaning
"fruitful, productive", from
fructus meaning "enjoyment, product, fruit". Saint Fructuosus was a 3rd-century bishop of Tarragona and a martyr under the Roman emperor Valerian. Another saint by this name was a 7th-century archbishop of Braga.
Fūjin m Japanese MythologyFrom Japanese
風 (fū) meaning "wind" and
神 (jin) meaning "god, spirit". This is the name of the Japanese wind god, who carries the wind in a bag over his shoulders.
Fulton m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from the name of the town of Foulden in Norfolk, itself meaning
"bird hill" in Old English.
Furqan m Arabic, UrduMeans
"criterion between right and wrong" or
"proof" in Arabic. This is the name of the 25th chapter (surah al-Furqan) of the Quran.
Gaheris m Arthurian CycleProbably a variant of
Gaheriet (see
Gareth). In medieval Arthurian tales this is the name of a brother of
Gawain and
Gareth. Gareth and Gaheris, whose names are likely from the same source, probably originate from the same character.
Gaius m Ancient Roman, Biblical Latin, BiblicalRoman praenomen, or given name, of uncertain meaning. It is possibly derived from Latin
gaudeo "to rejoice", though it may be of unknown Etruscan origin. This was a very common Roman praenomen, the most famous bearers being Gaius Julius Caesar, the great leader of the Roman Republic, and his adopted son Gaius Octavius (later known as Augustus), the first Roman emperor. This name also appears in the New Testament belonging to a bishop of Ephesus who is regarded as a saint.
Galaktion m Late Greek, GeorgianProbably a derivative of Greek
γάλα (gala) meaning
"milk" (genitive
γάλακτος). This was the name of a 3rd-century saint (also called
Galation) who was martyred in Emesa, Syria. It was also borne by the Georgian poet Galaktion Tabidze (1892-1959).
Galen m EnglishModern form of the Greek name
Γαληνός (Galenos), which meant
"calm" from Greek
γαλήνη (galene). It was borne by a 2nd-century BC Greco-Roman physician who contributed to anatomy and medicine. In modern times the name is occasionally given in his honour.
Gallus m Ancient RomanRoman cognomen meaning
"rooster" in Latin. It could also refer to a person from Gaul (Latin
Gallia). This was the name of a 7th-century Irish saint, a companion of Saint
Columbanus, who later became a hermit in Switzerland.
Ganelon m Carolingian CycleFrench form of the Old German name
Wenilo. In the medieval French epic
La Chanson de Roland Ganelon is the knight who betrays
Charlemagne's army to the Saracens, resulting in the death of
Roland and the rest of the rear guard. He was based on Wenilo, a 9th-century archbishop of Sens who betrayed Charles the Bald (Charlemagne's grandson).
Garbhán m IrishFrom Old Irish
Garbán meaning
"little rough one", derived from
garb "rough" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a 7th-century Irish saint.
Gaston m FrenchPossibly from a Germanic name derived from the element
gast meaning
"guest, stranger". This is the usual French name for Saint
Vedastus, called
Vaast in Flemish. The name was also borne by several counts of Foix-Béarn, beginning in the 13th century.
Gavin m English, ScottishMedieval form of
Gawain. Though it died out in England, it was reintroduced from Scotland in the 20th century.
Gawain m Arthurian CycleMeaning uncertain, from the Latin form
Gualguainus used in the 12th-century chronicles of Geoffrey of Monmouth (appearing also as
Walganus,
Gwalguanus and other spellings in different copies of the text), where he is one of the knights who serve his uncle King
Arthur. He can be identified with the earlier Welsh hero Gwalchmai, and it is possible that the name derives from
Gwalchmai or a misreading of it.
... [more] Gediminas m LithuanianPossibly from the Lithuanian roots
ged- "to mourn, to long for" and
min- "to think, to remember, to mention". This was the name of a 14th-century Grand Duke of Lithuania.
Gefjon f Norse MythologyProbably means
"the giving one", from Old Norse
gefa "to give". Gefjon or Gefion was a Norse goddess associated with ploughing and fertility.
Generosus m Late RomanDerived from Latin
generosus meaning
"well-born, noble, excellent", from
genus meaning "birth, origin". This name was borne by a few early saints, including a 4th-century martyr from Ortona dei Marsi in Italy.
Genesis f English (Modern)Means
"birth, origin" in Greek. This is the name of the first book of the Old Testament in the Bible. It tells of the creation of the world, the expulsion of
Adam and
Eve,
Noah and the great flood, and the three patriarchs.
Genesius m Late RomanFrom Greek
γένεσις (genesis) meaning
"birth, origin". This was the name of various early Christian saints, notably Genesius of Rome, the patron saint of actors.
Genghis m HistoryFrom the title
Genghis (or
Chinggis)
Khan, meaning "universal ruler", which was adopted by the Mongol Empire founder
Temujin in the late 12th century. Remembered both for his military brilliance and his brutality towards civilians, he went on to conquer huge areas of Asia and Eastern Europe.
Gentian m AlbanianFrom the name of the flowering plant called the gentian, the roots of which are used to create a tonic. It is derived from the name of the Illyrian king
Gentius, who supposedly discovered its medicinal properties.
Gentius m AlbanianPossibly means
"to beget" in Illyrian. This was the name of a 2nd-century BC Illyrian king who went to war with Rome.
Georges m FrenchFrench form of
George. This name was borne by the French artists Georges Seurat (1859-1891) and Georges Braque (1882-1963).
Gerasimos m Greek, Late GreekDerived from Greek
γέρας (geras) meaning
"honour, gift". Saint Gerasimus was a 5th-century hermit who lived near the Jordan River.
Gerben m DutchDerived from the Germanic elements
ger meaning "spear" and
bern meaning "bear".
Gereon m German, Late RomanPossibly derived from Greek
γέρων (geron) meaning
"old man, elder". This was the name of a saint martyred in Cologne in the 4th century.
Germanicus m Ancient RomanRoman name derived from
Germania, traditionally the area north of the Roman Empire inhabited by early Germanic tribes. This was the agnomen of the Roman general Decimus Claudius Drusus, given posthumously because of his victories in Germania in the 1st century BC. It was also given to his young son, Germanicus Julius Caesar, later a successful general in his own right, who is known to history as simply Germanicus.
Germanus m Ancient RomanRoman cognomen meaning
"brother" in Latin. This was the name of several early saints.
Gervasius m Germanic (Latinized)Possibly a Latinized form of a Germanic name with a first element deriving from
ger "spear". The second element is uncertain, though some propose it to be Gaulish *
wassos "servant". Alternatively the name could be related to the Greek word
γεραιός (geraios) "old".
... [more] Ghassan m ArabicMeans
"youth" in Arabic. This was the name of an Arabian tribe that existed until the 6th century.
Ghislain m FrenchFrench form of
Gislenus, a Latinized form of the Germanic name
Gislin, derived from the element
gisal meaning
"hostage" or
"pledge". This was the name of a 7th-century saint and hermit who built a chapel near Mons, Belgium.
Gideon m Biblical, Hebrew, English, DutchFrom the Hebrew name
גִּדְעוֹן (Giḏʿon) meaning
"feller, hewer", derived from
גָּדַע (gaḏaʿ) meaning "to cut, to hew". Gideon is a hero and judge of the Old Testament. He led the vastly outnumbered Israelites against the Midianites, defeated them, and killed their two kings. In the English-speaking world,
Gideon has been used as a given name since the Protestant Reformation, and it was popular among the Puritans.
Gildas m FrenchFrom
Gildasius, the Latinized form of a Celtic name (spelled
Gweltaz in modern Breton). It could be related to Celtic *
gweltā "grass", or the compound *
kēlyos "companion, servant" and *
dēwos "god". Saint Gildas the Wise was a 6th-century British monk who later settled in Brittany.
Giles m EnglishFrom the Late Latin name
Aegidius, which is derived from Greek
αἰγίδιον (aigidion) meaning
"young goat". Saint Giles was an 8th-century miracle worker who came to southern France from Greece. He is regarded as the patron saint of the crippled. In Old French the name
Aegidius became
Gidie and then
Gilles, at which point it was imported to England. Another famous bearer was the 13th-century philosopher and theologian Giles of Rome (
Egidio in Italian).
Gillian f EnglishMedieval English feminine form of
Julian. This spelling has been in use since the 13th century, though it was not declared a distinct name from
Julian until the 17th century.
Gladys f Welsh, English, French, SpanishFrom the Old Welsh name
Gwladus, probably derived from
gwlad meaning
"country". Alternatively, it may have been adopted as a Welsh form of
Claudia. Saint Gwladus or Gwladys was the mother of Saint
Cadoc. She was one of the daughters of
Brychan Brycheiniog. This name became popular outside of Wales after it was used in Ouida's novel
Puck (1870).
Glenn m EnglishFrom a Scottish surname that was derived from Gaelic
gleann "valley". It was borne by the American actor Glenn Ford (1916-2006), whose birth name was Gwyllyn. A famous bearer of the surname was American astronaut John Glenn (1921-2016). The name peaked in popularity in 1962 when he became the first American to orbit the earth.
... [more] Glenys f WelshProbably an elaboration of the Welsh word
glân "pure, clean, holy" or
glyn "valley". This name was created in the late 19th century.
Gnaeus m Ancient RomanRoman praenomen, or given name, which is of unknown Etruscan meaning, though it may be related to Latin
naevus "birthmark". A famous bearer was Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, also known as Pompey the Great, a Roman general of the 1st century BC.
Gobán m Irish (Rare)From Old Irish
Gobbán, derived from
gobae "smith" and a diminutive suffix. It could also be a derivative of the name of the Irish smith god
Goibniu (from the same root). This was the name of a few early saints, such as a 7th-century abbot of Killamery. In later folklore, the smith god and the saints seem to have conflated into the legendary figure Gobán Saor ("Gobán the builder"), a master architect and builder of churches.
Gobannos m Gaulish MythologyFrom old Celtic *
goban meaning
"smith". This was the name of a scantily attested Gaulish smith god.
Goemon m HistoryMeaning unknown. His name is composed of the kanji
五 (go) meaning "five",
右 (not pronounced) meaning "right-hand, west",
衛 (e) meaning "guard, protect", and
門 (mon) meaning "gate, door". This was the name of a semi-legendary 16th-century samurai who stole from the rich to give to the poor. After a failed assassination attempt on the daimyo Toyotomi Hideyoshi, he was boiled alive.
Gofannon m Welsh MythologyFrom Welsh
gof meaning
"smith". This was the name of a smith in Welsh legends. He is possibly a later development of an earlier Celtic god (seen also in Gaulish
Gobannos and Irish
Goibniu).
Gökhan m TurkishFrom Turkish
gök meaning "sky" and
han, which is from the title
khan meaning "leader".
Goldilocks f FolkloreFrom the English words
gold and
locks, referring to blond hair. This is best known as the name of the trespassing girl in the English fairy tale
Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
Golshan f & m PersianFrom an archaic Persian word meaning
"rose garden", a derivative of
گل (gol) meaning "flower, rose".
Goran m Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Macedonian, BulgarianDerived from South Slavic
gora meaning "mountain". It was popularized by the Croatian poet Ivan Goran Kovačić (1913-1943), who got his middle name because of the mountain town where he was born.
Gordan m Serbian, CroatianDerived from South Slavic
gord meaning
"proud". This name and the feminine form Gordana were popularized by the publication of Croatian author Marija Jurić Zagorka's novel
Gordana (1935).
Gordian m HistoryFrom the Roman cognomen
Gordianus meaning
"from Gordium", Gordium being the capital of Phrygia in Asia Minor. This is the name by which three Roman emperors are known.
Gordon m Scottish, EnglishFrom a Scottish surname that was originally derived from a place in Berwickshire, itself derived from Brythonic elements meaning
"spacious fort". It was originally used in honour of Charles George Gordon (1833-1885), a British general who died defending the city of Khartoum in Sudan.
... [more] Gotarzes m Parthian (Hellenized)Greek form of Parthian
𐭂𐭅𐭕𐭓𐭆 (Gotarz), from an Old Iranian name *
Gautarza meaning
"ox crusher". This name was borne by two kings of Parthia.
Góyąń f ApacheMeans
"wise" in Chiricahua Apache. This was the name of a 19th-century Apache warrior woman.
Gratian m HistoryFrom the Roman name
Gratianus, which was derived from Latin
gratus meaning
"grateful". Saint Gratian was the first bishop of Tours (4th century). This was also the name of a Roman emperor.
Grayson m English (Modern)From an English surname meaning
"son of the steward", derived from Middle English
greyve "steward". It became common towards the end of the 20th century because of its similarity to popular names like
Jason,
Mason and
Graham.